Most among the 400 youthful and veteran fashionables, who turned out in Kentucky Derby style for Bo’s Place‘s inaugural “Hats, Hearts & Horseshoes,” agreed that if they couldn’t be at Churchill Downs on this day, then Paige and Tilman Fertitta‘s luxe River Oaks estate was the only other place to cheer on Always Dreaming.

The party spread through the mansion’s vast summer kitchen, around the hotel-sized swimming pool and across the sloping acreage, all elegantly shrouded in towering oaks and pines. Such was the setting and the garden party fashions that this could have been a scene from a Great Gatsby film, albeit a 21st century remake.

Leading the fundraising frolic, which brought in more than $350,000, were chairs Megan and Luke Hotze and Hannah and Cal McNair and honorary chairs Meredith and Patrick Chastang and Susan and Charlie Neuhaus.

While the most exciting two minutes of the day occurred during the race, viewed on large-screen TVs, there was plenty of party action featuring adult beverage tastings including mint juleps, of course, as well as servings of party foods. One of the most popular items on this balmy spring day was Tilman Fertitta’s Billion Dollar Buyer winner Pop Brothers Popsicles.

In the friendly competition for the fanciest attire, Hannah McNair took top honors for her flower-decked hat while her brother-in-law, Brad Marks, walked away as Best Dressed Guy and Hallie Vanderhider won Best Dressed Gal.